We bear the cost of piracy so you don’t have to.

We are not enforcers of the law. We are simply guardians of the people.

We are recruiting, submit an application today!

History

Pick and Shield was founded in early 2943 by Jason Pixley, an ex-Navy pilot who wanted to apply his combat skills to something more productive than defending the borders of UEE space against the Vanduul. He decided, not out of vengeance but reason, that he’d be best suited to fighting pirates. He gathered a handful of like-minded people, and thus, Pick and Shield was born.

Manifesto

Mission Statement: To protect the property and lives of those making an honest living in the less tasteful parts of the galaxy by actively opposing piracy and providing escort services at just above cost.

Pick and Shield is a barely-for-profit paramilitary organization that fights belligerence against innocents and their property. Our mining operation’s sole purpose is to fund our charitable efforts. All we want is for the galaxy to be a better place. As such, our targets are almost always pirates, and we often accept bounties against them. Though we are happy to have allies, we do not ally ourselves with groups that have direct ties to piracy. We try to avoid conflicts of interest.

Pick and Shield operates primarily in otherwise lawless space. We go about business in four ways:

Anti-piracy – it is expected of all combat-ready P&S members, if they deem that they are able to turn the tide, to aid any innocent ships they happen across. If they can’t do it alone, they should call for backup. This is our primary MO, and is done free of charge.

Escort – If a merchant or otherwise upstanding traveler needs protection, they are welcome to hire a pilot, flight, squadron, or more. While specific profit percentages are yet to be established, they’ll be only a small percentage of the operation costs (fuel, ammo, etc.).

Bounty hunting – We will often accept bounties, government or privately funded, especially on pirates. Rewards will be split evenly between those who participate in the bounty.

Mining and salvage – This is the bulk of our income. Each member is expected to contribute to our mining operations, either by operating mining equipment or defending the miners, as anti-pirate raids can be expensive. You should also salvage as much of your quarry as possible.

Though it is most certainly our MO to combat piracy, we have no intention of policing the areas in which we operate. We’re not bringers of law; we’re guardians. We have no quarrel with drug runners and other such occupations looked down upon within UEE space.

Also, though a few members of Pick and Shield run the Spectrum radio show Comm Chatter, it is not in any official way associated with this Organization. That is something done on the side.

Charter

All members of Pick and Shield are expected to abide by and uphold the following regulations. Any questions or concerns about these rules should be sent to the Colonel via personal message on the RSI forums.

Member Discipline

Unless otherwise specified, infractions or disputes on any P&S rule(s) should be reported up the chain of command. Unless a serious offense has been committed, the issue is across squadrons, an issue persists, or a high-ranking member is involved, in which case, an LtC or the Colonel should be notified immediately, issues should be resolved within flights or squadrons.

It is not required that a member personally like every other member of their flight, squadron, or even P&S as a whole. However, courtesy, at the very least, is encouraged in our working relationships.

To maintain a positive public image, we expect decency in interactions with those outside P&S, even towards potential targets. Once the first gun is fired, though, a bit of fury is not out of the question.

The following behaviors will not be tolerated and will result in summary discharge from P&S: harassment, participation in espionage against us, and intentional targeting of innocents. This list is not necessarily exhaustive, though.

((Being a role-playing group, it is very much encouraged that members stay in-character when in-game, even when interacting with others.))

Ranks

Rookie – A person who has recently joined P&S. They remain under evaluation until they are deemed worthy of promotion. They are managed by the Orientation Officer, who will also determine when a Rookie is ready for promotion and assignment to a squadron.

Lieutenant – A standard member of P&S. Lieutenants make up the majority of P&S.

1st Lieutenant – 1st Lieutenants have proven themselves dedicated to the P&S cause. They often lead flights on missions which do not require a whole squadron. 1Lts act as assistants to their Captains.

Captain – Leader of a squadron or an otherwise highly distinguished member of P&S. Captains are often the most talented pilots or tacticians. Captains may recommend their subordinates for promotion to Command.

Lieutenant Colonel – In addition to the Colonel, LtCs make up P&S’s Command. Each LtC is assigned a specific job, such as the Orientation Officer, Relations Officer, Operations Officer, or Logistics Officer.

Colonel – The leader of Pick and Shield. The Colonel serves as the ultimate decision-maker and arbiter. The Colonel is responsible for hand-picking LtCs to aid him/her in the administration of P&S. There is one Colonel at any given time.

Officer Positions
Note: These roles are planned, not currently filled. We do not yet have enough membership to necessitate all these roles. As of now, the Colonel does these jobs.

Orientation Officer – The Orientation Officer is responsible for recruiting new people to P&S and evaluating their fitness for membership as they serve as Rookies. If the Orientation Officer deems a Rookie worthy, the Rookie is handed off to the Executive Officer for promotion and assignment.

Relations Officer – The job of the Relations Officer is to manage public relations for P&S. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, maintaining our Spectrum presence and managing relationships with friendly organizations.

Operations Officer – Combat operations are coordinated, if not led, by the tactician known as the Operations Officer. Perhaps the most vital job in P&S, the Ops Officer is to whom all squadron-leading Captains report for missions. They are also responsible for accepting combat missions requested by clients.

Logistics Officer – While the Ops Officer manages combat operations, the Logistics Officer coordinates our mining operations. They work with the Ops Officer to ensure that mining ships are protected on missions. The Logistics Officer also serves as treasurer for P&S.

Disciplinary Officer – The Disciplinary Officer acts as arbitrator when issues between members or with the rules can’t be handled by a Captain. They have the power to demote or discharge a member if deemed necessary.

Executive Officer – The Executive Officer is the second-in-command of P&S. In addition to helping the Colonel with the day-to-day, the XO is responsible for promotions and, for rookies, squadron assignments. The XO also has the power to unilaterally discharge a member in extreme cases, provided the Colonel is unavailable.

Commanding Officer – The position of Commanding Officer is inherent in the rank of Colonel. The CO oversees all P&S operations and assigns Lieutenant Colonels to Command jobs that require a dedicated person. The CO can use all powers unilaterally, if deemed absolutely necessary.